Allegiance
Allegiances are indications of what the character values in life, and may encompass people, organizations, or ideals. They can be thought of as a roleplaying contract: a prescription for how your character is going to behave, and derive a small mechanical benefit therefrom. A character may have no allegiances (being either a free spirit or a lone wolf) or may change allegiances as he or she goes through life.A character may have up to three allegiances, listed in order from most important to least important. Also, just because the character fits into a certain category of people doesn't mean the character has to have that category as an allegiance. If the character acts in a way that is detrimental to his or her allegiance, the player may lose that allegiance (and all its benefits). Unless an allegiance is required for class features, losing an allegiance has no negative (or postive) effect. Though it is possible to be assigned an allegiance when a players actions violate a pledged allegiance. Pledging Allegiance A hero's allegiance can take the form of loyalty to a person, to an organization, to a belief system, to a nation, or to an ethical or moral philosophy. In general, a character can discard an allegiance at any time, but may only gain a new allegiance after attaining a new level. Having an allegiance implies having sufficient intelligence and wisdom to make a moral or ethical choice. As a result, a character must have Intelligence and Wisdom scores of 3 or higher in order to select allegiances. Allegiances include, but are not limited to, the following examples. 'Person or Group' This includes a leader or superior, a family, a group of linked individuals (such as a mercenary company or trade caravan), or a discrete unit within a larger organization (such as members of the character's guard patrol). 'Organization' This may be a company (mercenary or merchant), a gathering of like-minded individuals, a fraternal brotherhood, a secret society, a local, state, a university, an employer, or an otherwise established authority. 'Nation' This may or may not be the nation that the hero currently resides in. It may be where the individual was born, or where the hero resides after emigrating to a new home. 'Belief System' This is usually a particular faith or religion, but can also be a specific philosophy or school of thought. Belief systems could also include political beliefs or philosophical outlooks. 'Ethical Philosophy (Law and Chaos)' This describes how one feels about order, as represented by Law and Chaos. An individual with a Lawful outlook tends to tell the truth, keep his or her word, respect authority and honour, and he or she expects others to do likewise. An individual with a Chaotic outlook tends to follow his or her instincts and whims, favor new ideas and experiences, and behave in a subjective and open manner in dealings with others. 'Moral Philosophy (Good and Evil)' This describes one's attitude toward others, as represented by Good and Evil. An individual with a Good allegiance tends to protect innocent life. This belief implies altruism, respect for life, and a concern for the dignity of other creatures. An Evil allegiance shows a willingness to hurt, oppress, and kill others, and to debase or destroy innocent life. Allegiances and Influence An allegiance can create an empathic bond with others of the same allegiance. The character gains a +2 circumstance bonus on Charisma-based skill checks when dealing with someone of the same allegiance as long as the character has had some interaction with the other character to discover the connections and bring the bonus into play (by roleplaying or by virtue of the abstraction of a reputation check).